A Celebration of Hockey - Montreal Sponsored by - The St. Marys Independent
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A Celebration of Hockey Friday, March 22, 2019
Sponsored by
Montreal
Canadiens
Alumni Alumni
2 Montreal Canadiens vs. St. Marys Lincolns Alumni Game Program - March 22, 2019 St. Marys Independent Newspaper
Two Storied Franchises:
Canadiens and Lincolns
By Stewart Grant these two great hockey teams to cel-
The Red, White and Blue. The Green ebrate this game of hockey that we
and White. love.
Founded in 1909, they are the most An outstanding evening of entertain-
historic of all hockey teams. Founded ment is planned, highlighted by this
in 1956, they are the second-oldest Lincolns vs. Canadiens Alumni game.
continuously operating Junior B team. Preceding the game will be a 5 pm
A 24-time Stanley Cup champion,
meet and greet for VIP ticket holders
with our Alumni players. Following the 5-6pm: Alumni Meet & Greet in the End
more than any other. A 2-time Suther- game will be a hockey-themed auction
land Cup champion, an outstanding
feat for a small-market team.
along with great live music from Devi-
to & Schwartz.
Zone for VIP ticket holders
The Montreal Canadiens and St. Regular tickets are $25 for the event,
Marys Lincolns. Two storied franchis-
es, each with proud histories. Two
and VIP tickets are available for $75.
We’re looking forward to having a
6:30-7pm: On ice warmup, player intros,
hockey teams which have helped
great crowd come out for this fundrais-
transform their respective communi-
ties. ing event for your local junior B hock- O Canada, and ceremonial puck drop
ey team. You are in for a great time at
On March 22nd, we will bring together this Celebration of Hockey!
7-9pm: Lincolns vs. Canadiens alumni game
9pm-1am: Auction and live music from
Devito & Schwartz in the Community Centre
STANLEY CUP
CHAMPIONS
Player Team Season
Yvon Lambert Montreal Canadiens 1975-76
Yvon Lambert Montreal Canadiens 1976-77
Yvon Lambert Montreal Canadiens 1977-78
Yvon Lambert Montreal Canadiens 1978-79
Richard Sevigny Montreal Canadiens 1978-79
Keith Acton Edmonton Oilers 1987-88
Oleg Petrov Montreal Canadiens 1992-93
Patrice Brisebois Montreal Canadiens 1992-93 Proud supporter of
Jesse Belanger
Mathieu Dandenault
Montreal Canadiens
Detroit Red Wings
1992-93
1996-97
the St. Marys Lincolns
Mathieu Dandenault Detroit Red Wings 1997-98 Go Lincs Go!
Mathieu Dandenault Detroit Red Wings 2001-02
485 Queen St W, St. Marys, ON N4X 1B7 • (519) 284-1371
Montreal Canadiens vs. St. Marys Lincolns Alumni Game Program - March 22, 2019 St. Marys Independent Newspaper 3
vs.
Silent Auction Items
• Autographed Carey Price Jersey
• Autographed Logan Couture jersey
• NHL All Star Jersey
• Various NHL Prints
• Maple Leafs Tickets
• Red Wings Tickets
• Bottle of Chateauneuf-du-pape
St. Marys Lincolns’ vice-president Bill Lowe poses for a photo with the Carey
Price autographed Montreal Canadiens’ jersey at the PRC. It will be one of the
• St. Marys Golf & Country Club package
big items in the silent auction when the Canadiens’ Alumni team comes to St.
Marys to play the Lincs’ Alumni squad on Friday, Mar. 22. (Payton photo)
• And more!
A proud supporter of the
4 Montreal Canadiens vs. St. Marys Lincolns Alumni Game Program - March 22, 2019 St. Marys Independent Newspaper
Biographies of Canadiens’ Alumni
GAA in 33 games led the league, earning the Vezina During his 10-year career, Bergeron utilized his pow-
Trophy for Montreal that season. erful slapshot and keen hockey sense in scoring 82
As Quebec goalie Clint Malarchuk found out during goals and 235 points in 490 regular season games.
the infamous Good Friday brawl in the 1984 playoffs, Following his time in Edmonton, he played for the
Sevigny was also a heck of a fighter. After 5 seasons New York Islanders, Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota
in Montreal, Sevigny would later join the Nordiques Wild, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning and
for his final 3 seasons in the NHL. Carolina Hurricanes.
DEFENCE - #43 MIKE WEAVER His 2009-10 season with Montreal was quite memo-
rable. After posting 34 points during the regular sea-
Despite four strong seasons with Michigan State in son, Bergeron was part of the 8th-seed Habs team
which he twice won Best Defensive Defenseman in that knocked off both Washington and Pittsburgh be-
the CCHA, Mike Weaver was never selected in the fore finally bowing out to Philadelphia in the semi-fi-
NHL Entry Draft. However, following his collegiate nals.
career the 5’9” defenseman signed with Atlanta and
won the 2001 Turner Cup in the IHL with the Orlan- He is currently the Director of player development for
do Solar Bears. The following season, he played 16 the Shawinigan Cataracts.
games with the NHL’s Thrashers and in the spring DEFENCE - #71 PATRICE BRISEBOIS
won a Calder Cup with the Chicago Wolves of the With a long career and a Stanley Cup (in 1993) with
American Hockey League. the Canadiens, Patrice Brisebois ended up living the
From 2001 to 2015, Weaver played in 633 regular dream of any hockey-mad kid who grew up in Mon-
season NHL games along with 28 playoff games. His treal. He began his high-scoring junior career with
last two seasons came with very successful Mon- the Laval Titan and was selected 30th overall in the
treal Canadiens squads. He played all 17 games 1989 NHL Entry Draft by his hometown club, les Ca-
during the Habs’ long playoff run in 2013-14 in which nadiens.
Brisebois played his fourth and final year of junior
with Drummondville in 1990-91, and that season
By Stewart Grant was honoured with the Emile Bouchard Trophy as
the league’s best defenceman. The following year,
COACH – YVON LAMBERT
after just 53 games of seasoning in the American
Yvon Lambert was a key contributor to one of the Hockey League, Brisebois made the jump to the
greatest dynasties in the history of the National NHL for good.
Hockey League. From 1974-75 to 1980-81, Lambert
He played his first 14 NHL seasons with Montre-
put up annual goal totals of 32, 32, 24, 18, 26, 21 and
al before signing a two-year deal with Colorado in
22. Along the way, his Montreal Canadien club won
2005. He then returned to the Canadiens for his
four consecutive Stanley Cups, from 1976 to 1979.
final two seasons, retiring in 2009. That season,
His most famous goal came in overtime of the 1979 he was awarded the Jean Beliveau Trophy for his
Wales Conference Final, and it ended the coaching contribution to the community. In total, his NHL ca-
career of Don Cherry in Boston. It was Cup or bust reer spanned 18 seasons and 1,009 regular season
for ‘Grapes’, who was not seeing eye to eye with GM games, and he ranks third all-time in games played
Harry Sinden. After Guy Lafleur tied game 7 late in for a Canadiens defenseman.
the third period following a ‘too many men on the
After playing ‘the fastest game on ice’, Brisebois
ice’ call against Cherry’s Bruins, Lambert went hard
took up auto racing. He ran 14 races in NASCAR
to the net in overtime and redirected a Mario Trem-
Canada’s Pinty’s Series between 2009 and 2015
blay pass to send Montreal to the finals for a fourth
straight time. UTILITY - #25 MATHIEU DANDENAULT
Lambert played 9 full seasons in the NHL, scoring Dandenault did his share of “winning” during his pro-
at least 20 goals on seven occasions. After a sin- fessional hockey career. With the Detroit Red Wings,
gle season with Buffalo (25 goals), he played two he was a member of three Stanley Cup Champion
more seasons with Rochester of the AHL, scoring 53 teams, in 1997, 1998 and 2002. Following a short-
goals and winning a Calder Cup in 1983. er-than-normal playoff run for the Wings in 2003,
Dandenault was invited to play for Team Canada in
Following his playing career, he coached in Roches-
they came within two wins of reaching the Stanley the World Championships in Finland. He was a key
ter and Verdun, then managed the arena restaurants
Cup Finals. The following season, Weaver played 31 contributor to the Canadian squad, scoring two goals
in both the Montreal Forum and the Molson Centre.
games for the Canadiens’ club which finished first in and three assists over the 9-game tournament en
GOALIE - #33 RICHARD SÉVIGNY the Atlantic Division with 110 points. route to a Gold Medal.
Sevingy was one of seven (yes, seven) goaltenders DEFENCE - #47 MARC ANDRÉ BERGERON Following nine seasons in Detroit, Mathieu signed a
selected by Montreal in the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft. four-year contract with his hometown Montreal Ca-
He was the best of the bunch, and in 1979 graduat- The Quebec-born defensman made an immediate
nadiens. With both Detroit and Montreal, he was a
ed to the NHL upon the retirement of the legendary impact in the NHL in his 2003-04 rookie season
valuable and versatile player who could play either
Ken Dryden. As a result of backing up Dryden for with the Edmonton Oilers, posting 26 points in just
forward or defence.
game 2 of the 1979 Finals, Sevigny’s name was en- 54 games. Following the 2004-2005 lockout sea-
son, Bergeron picked up where he left off, scoring In total, Dandenault played 868 games in the NHL,
graved on the Stanley Cup before ever playing an
15 goals and 35 points in 75 regular season games. scoring 68 goals and 135 assists.
NHL game.
He was a key contributor in that season’s playoff run FORWARD - #6 OLEG PETROV
Once given the chance to play, Sevigny quickly when the surprising Oilers, who finished 8th in the
made his mark in the league. His best season was Petrov, a native of Moscow, became the first-ever
Western Conference, made it all the way to the sev-
1980-81, in which he shared goaltending duties with Russian to play for the Montreal Canadiens. The
enth and deciding game of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Denis Herron and Bunny Larocque. Sevigny’s 2.40 1991 draft pick joined the Canadiens in 1992-93 and
Montreal Canadiens vs. St. Marys Lincolns Alumni Game Program - March 22, 2019 St. Marys Independent Newspaper 5
Biographies of Canadiens’ Alumni
was part of the Stanley Cup winning squad. FORWARD - #26 PIERRE DAGENAIS
Petrov played 382 regular season games in the NHL Though he played just 142 games in the NHL, Pierre
including 365 games with Montreal. In 2000-01 he Dagenais had a varied and interesting professional
had a career-high 47 points, while the following sea- hockey career.
son had a career-high 24 goals. He is one of only a few players in NHL history to
Following the 2002-03 season, at age 32, Petrov be drafted twice by the same NHL team. The New
returned to Europe. In five seasons in the Swiss A Jersey Devils selected him 47th overall in the 1997
league, he was a point-per-game player. He then Entry Draft, but after failing to come to terms with the
played five seasons in the KHL and retired from pro- team, they drafted him again in 1998 with the 105th
fessional hockey at age 42. draft pick.
FORWARD - #12 KEITH ACTON Dagenais played 25 games with the Devils before
The native of Stouffville Ontario was drafted 103rd moving to Florida in 2001 and Montreal in 2003. With
overall by the Canadiens in the 1978 NHL Amateur the Canadiens, he played 82 games over two partial
Draft. After two seasons in AHL with Nova Scotia, seasons, scoring 39 points on the second line with
Acton quickly accelerated from a fourth line role with Mike Ribeiro and Michael Ryder.
Montreal to centering the top line between Guy La- Dagenais was a very talented goal scorer as ev-
fleur and Steve Shutt. In the 1981-82 season, the idenced throughout his career in various hockey
Canadiens finished first place in the Adams Division, leagues. On four separate occasions in three sepa-
with Acton leading the club in scoring with 88 points. rate decades, Pierre scored at greater than a goal-
Acton and Mark Napier were traded to Minnesota per-game pace. In 1997-98, he led the Quebec Ma-
in 1983 in deal that brought the Canadiens Bobby jor Junior Hockey League with 66 goals in 60 games.
Smith. Acton was a reliable scorer with the North In 2006-07, he scored 37 goals in just 27 games with
Stars and played there until 1988 when the Oilers ac- Innsbruck of the Austrian Hockey League. Finally,
quired him for another of their playoff runs. That sea- in his final two professional hockey seasons from
son, he scored the Conference Final series-clinching 2010-12, he put up an astounding 107 goals in 68
goal against Detroit and the game winning goal in games with the Akwesasne Warriors of the Federal
number (from 0 to 99) to have never been previously
the Stanley Cup Final opener versus Boston. The Hockey League. During his career, he also laced up
worn by a player.
Oilers would sweep the Bruins in four straight games his skates in the Kontinental Hockey League and the
GET (Norweigan) Hockey League. During his four seasons with Montreal, Latendresse
that season to take the Cup.
scored 48 goals and 85 points. He then played three
In total, Acton played 15 years in the NHL and is a FORWARD - #29 JESSE BELANGER
injury-riddled seasons in Minnesota and one year in
member of the 1,000 game club with 1,023 regular Despite a standout junior hockey career in which he Ottawa. With six concussions in his last 3 NHL sea-
season games played and 584 points. He finished twice topped 100 points with the Granby Bisons, Be- sons, he retired in 2013 at the age of 26.
his career behind the bench as an assistant-coach langer was never drafted by an NHL team. He was
Guillaume is now a hockey analyst with the french
for Philadelphia, New York, Columbus and Toronto. signed by Montreal in 1990 and spent two productive
sports network, RDS.
Acton ran for mayor of Whitchurch-Stouffville in the seasons with their AHL affiliate in Fredricton, scoring
169 points in 140 regular season games. FORWARD - #16 SCOTT GRAHAM
2018 municipal elections. He garnered 31% of the
vote which outpaced incumbent Justin Altmann, but Belanger was a member of the 1993 Montreal Can- Scott Graham played three standout seasons at
finished second place to Iain Lovatt who prevailed adiens team that hoisted the Stanley Cup, appear- centre ice for the Lincolns (1969-72). In his final sea-
with 37% of the votes cast. ing in nine playoff games that season. The following son, he helped lead the Lincolns to a league cham-
year, Belanger was selected by Florida in the expan- pionship and an appearance in the Sutherland Cup
sion draft and was a key part of their attack in their finals. Graham earned a scholarship with St. Law-
inaugural season, putting up 17 goals and 50 points. rence University in New York where he played Divi-
He continued to be a key player for the Panthers un- sion 1 hockey for four seasons, eventually becoming
til Vancouver acquired him in 1996 for their playoff team captain of the Saints. Since returning to St.
run. Marys he has spent a number of years supporting
the Lincolns as head coach, executive, and sponsor.
From 1996 to 2013, Belanger played hockey for
nearly 20 different professional hockey teams, in- FORWARD - #17 MARK O’KEEFE
cluding a second stint with the Canadiens. His ca- Mark O’Keefe played one season for the Lincolns
reer also took him to the IHL, AHL as well as leagues (1977-78) after the team discovered he was playing
in Germany, Switzerland and Quebec. Senior hockey with Lucan-Ilderton Jets and was still
FORWARD - #84 GUILLAUME LATENDRESSE Junior age. The St. Marys minor hockey product, a
good puck-handling forward/defenceman, played for
Guillaume Latendresse attracted the attention of the
coach Dave Edwards. Some of his Lincs’ teammates
hockey world at a young age. In 2003 as a 16-year-
included Glenn Coghlin, Gerry Seguin, Dave Stacey,
old, he was selected 2nd overall in the Quebec Ma-
Alan Gates and Bill Cunningham. O’Keefe went on
jor Junior Hockey League. The 1st overall selection
to play several years with Lakeside in the NORHL.
was Sidney Crosby.
ASST. COACH – WALLY PARKINSON
Two years later, Guillaume was selected 45th overall
by Montreal in the NHL Entry Draft. After a success- A graduate of St. Marys Minor Hockey, Wally Par-
ful traning camp the following season, Guillaume kinson played two seasons (1968-70) for the Lin-
was just 19 years old when he made the big club. colns. Following his Lincoln years, he joined the Lu-
can-Ilderton Jets senior team where he played for
An interesting bit of trivia, when Latendresse was
many productive seasons. Wally married a local girl
given #84 at the start of the 2006-07 season, he
and settled down in Middlesex Country. For the ma-
unknowingly became the first player in NHL history
jority of his career, he worked for the Ontario Pork
to wear the number. Furthermore, #84 was the last
Producers.
6 Montreal Canadiens vs. St. Marys Lincolns Alumni Game Program - March 22, 2019 St. Marys Independent Newspaper
Roster - Montreal Canadiens Alumni
ROSTER - MONTREAL CANADIENS ALUMNI TEAM
No. Pos. Player Age Hometown NHL Regular Season Statistics
6 Forward Oleg Petrov 47 Moscow, Russia 382 GP - 72 G - 115 A - 187 PTS - 101 PIM
12 Forward Keith Acton 60 Stouffville, ON 1023 GP - 226 G - 358 A - 584 PTS - 1172 PIM
25 Utility Mathieu Dandenault 43 Sherbrooke, QC 868 GP - 68 G - 135 A - 203 PTS - 516 PIM
26 Forward Pierre Dagenais 41 Blainville, QC 142 GP - 35 G - 23 A - 58 PTS - 58 PIM
29 Forward Jesse Belanger 49 St. Georges Beauce, QC 246 GP - 59 G - 76 A - 135 PTS - 56 PIM
33 Goal Richard Sevigny 61 Montreal, QC 176 GP - 80 W - 54 L - 20 T - 3.21 GAA
43 Defence Mike Weaver 40 Bramalea, ON 633 GP - 8 G - 89 A - 97 PTS - 227 PIM
47 Defence Marc Andre Bergeron 38 Trois-Rivieres, QC 490 GP - 82 G - 153 A - 235 PTS - 214 PIM
71 Defence Patrice Brisebois 48 Montreal, QC 1009 GP - 98 G - 322 A - 420 PTS - 623 PIM
84 Forward Guillaume Latendresse 31 Ste-Catherine, QC 341 GP - 87 G - 60 A - 147 PTS - 185 PIM
17 Defence Mark O'Keefe 58 St. Marys, ON N/A (Import Player from St. Marys)
16 Forward Scott Graham 66 St. Marys, ON N/A (Import Player from St. Marys)
N/A Coach Yvon Lambert 68 Drummondville, QC 683 GP - 206 G - 273 A - 479 PTS - 340 PIM
N/A Asst. Coach Wally Parkinson 68 St. Marys, ON N/A (Import Coach from St. Marys)
BENCH SPONSORED BY
Proud supporters of the
St. Marys Lincolns
alumni game 343 Queen St. W, St. Marys, ON • (519) 284-1040
Stop by for a beer & wings
before the PUCK DROPS!
GO LINCOLNS GO!
310 Queen St East • St. Marys ON
(519) 284-2921
Montreal Canadiens vs. St. Marys Lincolns Alumni Game Program - March 22, 2019 St. Marys Independent Newspaper 7
Roster - St. Marys Lincolns Alumni
ROSTER - ST. MARYS LINCOLNS ALUMNI TEAM
No. Pos. Name Sponsor No. Pos. Name Sponsor
2 Defence Matt Holliday 19 Forward Merlin Malinowski Graham Energy
3 Defence Jason Martin Kubota 21 Defence Spencer Meany
4 Forward Scott Taylor Moy Hall Farms 22 Defence Scott Richardson
5 Defence Matt Bender MTH Contract/Consulting 23 Defence Kevin Wydeven Avonbank Dairy
6 Forward Jared Frayne MCC Construction 24 Defence Barry Johnson
7 Forward Dan Schiedel 30 Goalie Kevin McDougall
8 Defence Duane Harmer Harmer Concrete Pumping 39 Goalie Grant Cousineau Smooth Rock Hardscape
10 Forward Kyle Van Groningen 66 Forward Mark Robson Cascades St. Marys
11 Forward Greg Houben
12 Forward Les McGregor Grason International
14 Forward Bentley Dundas Dunny's Source for Sports N/A Coach Ed Parkinson O'Grady's Clothing & Accessories
15 Defence Mike Johnson N/A Coach Jacques Cousineau St. Marys Coin-Op Car Wash
16 Forward Brett Graham N/A Trainer Dante Audet
17 Defence Stephane Audet Mitchell Hainer N/A Trainer Mike Bannerman
Referees: Drew Williams, Chad Petrie, Owen Penney
BENCH SPONSORED BY
925 Queen St. E • St. Marys ON • 519.284.3380
www.stmaryshomebuildingcentre.com
Proud supporter of the
GO LINCS GO! St. Marys Lincolns for
over 25 YEARS
162 James St. South | St. Marys ON
Home Owners helping Home owners
519-284-4404
8 Montreal Canadiens vs. St. Marys Lincolns Alumni Game Program - March 22, 2019 St. Marys Independent Newspaper
St. Marys Lincolns Alumni Team Profiles
By Pat Payton the great community of St. Marys.” After his Junior Jason Martin and Mike Minard.
Matt Holliday - No. 2 days with the Lincs, he played Senior hockey with Ta- Bentley Dundas - No. 14
vistock. Today, he works for the OPP in the Toronto
A SMMHA product, St. Marys native Matt Holliday area. St. Marys native Bentley Dundas, son of former
played most of two seasons for the Lincolns (1998- Lincoln great Brian, played three seasons with the
2000), playing several games as a Midget affiliate Jared Frayne - No. 6 Lincolns (1998-2001) after being a member of two
before joining the team full time (1999-2000). Holli- St. Marys-born Jared Frayne played three full sea- All-Ontario champion Bantam teams. A couple of spe-
day was a strong skating, offensive-minded blue-liner. sons with the Lincolns (1998-03). The feisty cen- cial memories were playing his first home game as a
One teammate was 15-year-old defenceman Bryan treman led the team in scoring one season with over 16-year-old for the Lincs on a Friday night, and wear-
Rodney, who went on to win a Memorial Cup with 50 points. “It was great being able to play Junior in my ing the same jersey number (14) that his dad did. Like
London Knights and later played in the NHL. Today, home town,” he said. Before joining the Lincs, Frayne his father, Bentley had a nice scoring touch around
Matt is employed with McLean-Taylor Construction. enjoyed a very successful minor hockey career. He the net. Bentley is now a chartered accountant in Lon-
Jason Martin - No. 3 was a member of two SMMHA Bantam teams, which don.
won back-to-back provincial titles. Jared later served Mike Johnson - No. 15
St. Marys native Jason Martin was a hard-nosed, two years as a Lincolns’ assistant coach.
stay-at-home defenceman for two seasons with the St. Marys minor hockey product Mike Johnson helped
Lincolns (1992-94). In both seasons the SMMHA Dan Schiedel - No. 7 the Cement Midgets win the All-Ontario champion-
product toiled for the Lincs, they won 42 regular-sea- Dan Schiedel certainly earned his banner on the ship in Parry Sound, and then spent the following
son games. Martin was a member of the Lincolns’ PRC’s west wall. The hard-working centre played season (1996-97) with the Lincolns. “I played with
1993-94 league championship team, which defeated five seasons for the Lincolns (1988-93), coming right some friends I grew up with, and we had a lot of fun,”
Mark Hunter’s Petrolia Jets in the final. Martin then out of Bantam. Schiedel was team captain in his final he recalled. A strong skating, offensive defenceman,
went on to play two more Jr. ‘B’ seasons with Elmi- season (1992-93). That Dave MacQueen-coached Johnson went on to play for the Waterloo Warriors
ra, and was Sugar Kings’ team captain one of those won 42 regular-season games, and reached the university men’s team for four years and later played
years. league final. Dan was a player who never took a shift a little minor pro hockey with Shreveport in the Cen-
Scott Taylor - No. 4 off, leading by example, and he was a player who was tral League.
respected by both his teammates and opponents. Brett Graham - No. 16
After playing for the All-Ontario champion Cement
Midgets, forward Scott Taylor cracked the Lincolns’ Duane Harmer - No. 8 After an All-Ontario season with the Cement Midg-
line-up the following season (1988-89) and played a Mitchell native Duane Harmer played just one season ets, SMMHA product Brett Graham played one year
season and a half with team. Taylor says he still has for the Lincolns, as a 16-year-old, back in the 1990- for the Lincolns (1998-99), and was a fast-skating,
good friends from those two years and keeps in touch 91 season. Combining both skill and toughness, the hard-working forward. Brett wore No. 16, the same
with several. “I’m proud to have been a Lincoln,” he young defenceman soon caught the eye of Ontario jersey number that his dad (former Lincoln great
says. Taylor finished his Junior career playing with Hockey League scouts and was a high draft pick of Scott) pulled on when he played for the Lincs back in
teams such as Exeter, Thorold and Grimsby. Today, the Guelph Storm. Harmer finished his OHL career the early 1970s. Scott is also participating in the Mar.
Scott is president of McLean-Taylor Construction. with Detroit, which won the league title and advanced 22 game, suiting up for the Montreal Alumni team. Af-
Matt Bender - No. 5 to the Memorial Cup. He then spent several years ter playing for the Lincs, Brett joined the Tavistock Jr.
playing pro in Europe. He later served as a Lincs’ ‘D’ Braves.
Tavistock native Matt Bender played most of three coach.
seasons for the Lincolns (1997-2000), and the tough Steph Audet - No. 17
defenceman made opposing forwards keep their Kyle Van Groningen - No. 10 Steph Audet came down from Kapuskasing to play for
heads up. Bender has many fond memories of the Winger Kyle Van Groningen played for the Lincolns in the Lincolns, and played on two very successful St.
Lincs and the town. “Once I started playing in St. the 2000-01 season. “The thing I remember the most Marys teams (1992-94). Both teams won 42 games,
Marys, my family moved to town because we enjoyed was being on a Junior team for the first time, being and finished in first place in the Western standings.
away from home with a new billet family, and hav- Audet was an offensive defenceman, who was of-
ing your own stall in your team’s own dressing room. ten used on the team’s powerplay. “I made a lot of
It made you feel good.” The Port Dover native later long-lasting friends playing for the Lincolns. I was
played Junior for Thorold and North Bay, where they treated like family here and you still feel that same
won two NOJHL titles. Today, Kyle lives in Waterford, connection today.” Today, Steph makes his home in
and works for a family-owned business, VG Meats. St. Marys.
Greg Houben - No. 11 Merlin Malinowski - No. 19
Mitchell native Greg Houben played one season for Known as a great teacher of the game, Merlin Ma-
the Lincolns, back in the 1996-97 campaign. Hou- linowski is the longest-serving coach in Lincolns’
ben was a fast-skating, hard-working centreman who history. In this first stint with the Lincs (2003-10), the
came to play every night. “The fond memories I have Saskatchewan native guided the team to approxi-
are playing great competitive hockey, the bus rides mately 230 wins and to Game 7 of the Western final
with the boys, and the great food on the way home in the spring of 2006. In his playing days, Malinowski
from away games,” he recalled. Married to Julie in skated five seasons in the NHL--mostly with the Col-
2001, the Houbens purchased the family farm and orado Rockies. Ther centreman was also a member
have been raising their three children just outside of of Team Canada at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Cal-
Stratford. gary.
Les McGregor - No. 12 Spencer Meany - No. 21
Marathon native Les McGregor played two years A native of Atikokan in northern Ontario, Spencer
with the Lincolns, and in both those memorable Meany played two seasons for the Lincolns (1988-
seasons the team won 42 games. McGregor, who 90). He was a tough-as-nails winger, good in the cor-
scored 28 goals with the Lincs one season, was ners and in front of the net, and he could also score
a member of the Lincs’ 1993-94 Western League goals. After two years in St. Marys, Meany accepted
championship team. “Winning the league was a a NCAA Division 1 scholarship at St. Lawrence Uni-
pretty big thing,” he recalled. He remembers play- versity in upstate N.Y. In his Senior year, he averaged
ing with teammates such as Jason Heywood, Dan almost a point a game. After school, Meany played
Wildfong, John Tripp, Dan Schiedel, Ryan Lindsay, three seasons with Raleigh in the East Coast League.
Montreal Canadiens vs. St. Marys Lincolns Alumni Game Program - March 22, 2019 St. Marys Independent Newspaper 9
St. Marys Lincolns Alumni Team Profiles
Scott Richardson - No. 22 Kitchener native Kevin McDougall had an outstand- liams finished his Junior career playing in Niagara
SMMHA product Scott Richardson played three sea- ing 1991-92 season with the Lincolns. The 20-year- Falls, and then served about 10 years as an OHA
sons (1992-95) with the Lincolns. A steady, hard-work- old goaltender back-stopped St. Marys to Game 7 of referee. He has many fond memories of living in St.
ing defenceman, Richardson played for a great coach a playoff series with London Nationals and was later Marys with his billet family, the Hollidays. “My best
in Dave MacQueen as as rookie. The following sea- named team MVP. Some of his Lincs’ teammates on memories were just the people.” Today, Williams lives
son, he was a member of Lincs’ league championship that Dave MacQueen-coached team, included: Dan just outside of Welland and owns a plumbing busi-
team (1993-94). Following his Junior career, Richard- Crow, Darrell Simmons and Steve DuBarry. Today, ness.
son played five seasons with the Queen’s university Kevin is employed by McLean-Taylor Construction.
men’s team, and he was captain of that team for four Grant Cousineau - No. 39
years. Today, Scott is principal at St. Marys DCVI. Goalie Grant Cousineau played just one season
Kevin Wydeven - No. 23 with the Lincolns (2000-01). The team traded for the
Before joining the Lincolns (2003-05), SMMHA prod- 20-year-old Smooth Rock Falls native after he had
uct Kevin Wydeven played two seasons with Exeter Jr. played so well with league rival Aylmer Aces. Cousin-
‘D’ Hawks and the steady defenceman was a member eau played all his minor hockey in Smooth Rock Falls
of a provincial championship team in Exeter. Some and then ‘AAA’ Midget in the north. After his season
of his Lincs’ teammates included Brent Nurse, Na- in St. Marys, he played for St. Clair College. Today,
than Peacock, Luke Vick, Tyler Doig, Matt Dalton and Grant lives in Stratford and runs his own landscaping
NHLer Matt Read. After his Lincoln days, Wydeven business, installing backyard ponds and patios.
played Senior hockey in Hensall and Exeter. Today, Mark Robson - No. 66
Kevin runs the family farm just outside St. Marys. SMMHA product Mark Robson could skate like the
Barry Johnson - No. 24 wind, and loved to make end-to-end dashes with the
Barry Johnson was a big, bruising defenceman who puck. The flashy forward played two seasons for the
played two seasons (1993-95) with the Lincolns and Lincolns (1996-98), and was a point-a-game player
was a member of the Western League championship even as a rookie. “As a kid growing up, it was always
team in ‘93-94. Following the 1994-95 season, John- a dream to play for the Lincolns,” he said. “It was great
son played one year in Elmira. After his Junior career, playing in my home-town with some local friends of
he played four years at the University of Guelph, help- mine.” Following his Junior days, Robson played five
ing the Gryphons win the Canadian title in his rook- seasons for the University of Waterloo men’s team.
ie season (1996-97). Today, Barry lives in Burlington Drew Williams - Referee
and works for a small agricultural company in Guelph. Drew Williams had two good seasons with the Lin-
Kevin McDougall - No. 30 colns (1999-2001). A hard-working forward from Li-
After playing in the OHL with London and Windsor, stowel, Williams possessed a wicked wrist shot. Wil-
Proud
Supporter
for 37 Years
GO LINCOLNS GO
10 Montreal Canadiens vs. St. Marys Lincolns Alumni Game Program - March 22, 2019 St. Marys Independent Newspaper
Speaking the language of hockey with Rev. Pirie Mitchell
Experiencing the Richard Riot, Stanley Cups victories, and a puck to the head
By Stewart Grant izens. Some were servants in your the first game following the contro- The other team’s bench was nearby,
While many former Lincolns will house, and in business circles they versial suspension. This became so their trainer came out with a tow-
have the thrill of playing against would be expected to speak English known as the night of “the Richard el and helped me, and it took two of
former Montreal Canadien players first, not French. Then, Jean Les- Riot”. them to help my dad. At the clinic,
at the upcoming alumni game on age in the 50s and 60s began what “I was there for the riot,” related their team doctor gave me four stitch-
March 22nd, Rev. Pirie Mitchell also was known as the Quiet Revolution. Pirie. “We were sitting there in our es. The game is now ten minutes old
looks forward to his moment to per- It said, Quebecers deserve at least seats, and we knew where Clarence and I’m ready to get out there, but
form in front of Les Canadiens. equal treatment, as up until that time Campbell always sat, down in the the doctor said I had to wait here un-
it wasn’t equal.” south end. Somebody let off a tear til the end of the first period. So final-
It was ‘automatic’ that Pirie would be ly, the big siren goes and I’m ready
invited to sing the national anthem “The family that I came from was gas bomb or something, and then
pretty privileged. My father was a people began to rush towards the to go out when I hear this big clomp,
for the Montreal Canadiens Alumni clomp, clomp down the stairs, and in
Game. The frequent anthem singer buyer for Alcan, while my mother door. My father looked at me and he
had inherited money from her father said, “stay here”. When the Forum walks Jean Beliveau. He says to me,
for the Lincolns grew up in Montre- “My little friend, how is your head?” I
al watching the Canadiens play at who had done well investing heavily was about two-thirds empty, then
in Imperial Tobacco. From the 20s we went out. By that time, the crowd told him it was no problem.
the Forum in the glory days of the
1950s, and was in the building for to the 50s, my mother’s family had had broken all the windows in the “We worshipped Beliveau in Mon-
two of their Stanley Cup wins. season tickets at the Forum.” Forum and were marching down the treal. I met him that day, and I met
The Richard Riot street breaking windows and stuff. him on two other occasions. He was
“When I was a kid, they played the We went the other way.” a really classy guy. He’d always talk
national anthem on the organ. But Pirie was a war baby, born in 1941. to you, and if you spoke English
later, Roger Doucet came along and The timing of his birth meant that “What made me more angry years
later was that he went for a hear- he’d speak English back, and if you
he really got the crowd pumped. he was a hockey-mad teenager at spoke French he’d speak French.
When watching the games, I could the same time as the Montreal Ca- ing at Clarence Campbell’s office
and they didn’t have the courtesy to There were two competing stars;
most relate to Doucet, except he nadiens became the most dominant Jean Beliveau and Rocket Richard.
was a tenor and I’m a baritone,” team in the history of the sport. The speak to him in French. Here’s the
head of the NHL, who lives in Mon- When the big debate came in Que-
laughed Mitchell. Canadiens won five consecutive bec as to whether they should be
Stanley Cups from 1956 to 1960. treal, doesn’t speak a bloody word
At each Lincoln game in which he of French, and these guys judged independent or not, Beliveau sided
performs, Mitchell belts out the na- However, die-hard fans maintain that with Canada and Richard sided with
they were robbed of a sixth Cup as a this hockey player (without letting
tional anthem half in English and him explain himself in his own lan- Quebec.”
half in French; just like how Doucet result of what happened in March of
1955. This was the year that Rock- guage). Richard didn’t do anything Growing up in Montreal
did it all those years ago. This is out wrong. What happened is that he
of respect for each of Canada’s offi- et Richard was suspended by NHL The Mitchell family lived in an af-
President Clarence Campbell for the was in a fight and the linesman or fluent area of Montreal known as
cial languages. Over his lifetime, the referee went behind him and pulled
Montreal native has witnessed the remainder of the 1954-55 season, Senneville, just down the street from
including the duration of the Stanley him away from the fight and so he where goaltender Ken Dryden would
ebbs and flows of the language is- didn’t know who it was, so he turned
sue in Quebec. Cup Playoffs. reside during the 1970’s Habs dy-
around and walloped him one. He nasty. From Senneville, Pirie and his
“When I grew up, French Canadiens Young Pirie was at the Montreal Fo- didn’t know it was the official. Camp-
rum on March 17, 1955, which was dad would often take the train to the
were considered second-class cit- bell didn’t take kindly to that, and Montreal Forum.
Richard never played the rest of that
season. “It was fun going to the games by
train. At the end of the game, my fa-
“They would have won the Stan- ther and I would walk to Westmount
ley Cup that year. I know we would Station and we’d wait there until
have. You needed Richard; he gave the 11 o’clock train. While we were
life to the team. You knew when waiting, the whole Canadiens team
Richard was on the ice, because he would arrive because back then they
played like it was his last chance to didn’t fly, they all traveled by train.
play, and God help you if you got in Being a kid, you could go and talk to
his way. He’d go right through peo- them and they were quite happy to
ple, he’d check like you wouldn’t be- talk with you.”
lieve. And he did get his fair share of
penalties.” “When I was in university, I used
to get standing room tickets. They
Beliveau a Class Act were less than five dollars.
A nasty shot to the head led young There was a bar about three blocks
Pirie to meet another of his boyhood from the Forum and we’d go in there
idols...the great Jean Beliveau. for supper and a beer. One day I
“As a kid, I got hit by the puck right in went up to grab a beer before the
the forehead. We were walking into game and who is drinking beside
the game, and suddenly boom! It me but (Canadiens goalie) Gump
cut me and knocked me right on my Worsley. We chatted for a while
Rev. Pirie Mitchell poses with an authentic Montreal Forum seat signed by ass. There was blood everywhere, and I asked him, ‘Gump, who is the
Jean Beliveau, winner of ten Stanley Cups with Les Canadiens. The seat and I’m trying to get the puck! And in toughest team that you have to deal
was a gift from his kids when he reached the milestone age of 65. the middle of this my father fainted! with?’ And he replies, ‘the MontrealMontreal Canadiens vs. St. Marys Lincolns Alumni Game Program - March 22, 2019 St. Marys Independent Newspaper 11
Speaking the language of hockey with Rev. Pirie Mitchell
Experiencing the Richard Riot, Stanley Cups victories, and a puck to the head
Canadiens.’” treal,” said Pirie. “You’d go to the
“We loved Gump Worsley. I also games and you’d never see a Toron-
remember seeing Jacques Plan- to shirt. Ever.”
te when he played without a mask, “Hockey was part of the culture of
then he put a mask on and every- growing up in Quebec. We played
body thought he was a major wuss, hockey on a rink that was outdoors,
but it was the slapshot that was really and if you wanted to play hockey
a problem for him...these slapshots you had to shake hands with a shov-
were going faster than ever and that el and take the snow off. And it was
puck was as hard as a rock. I can tell where French and English met in our
you that from personal experience!” village, our part of town. They would
Despite the two languages in Que- each speak each other’s language
with no animosity.” This Globe & Mail newspaper headline from March 18, 1955 described the
bec, people were united on their
events of the evening prior when Montreal fans rioted in response to Clar-
love of hockey, and Les Canadiens. For certain, the game of hockey is
ence Campbell’s expulsion of Rocket Richard for the remainder of the NHL
“There were no Toronto fans in Mon- Canada’s universal language.
season including playoffs.
The interconnectedness of the hockey world
St. Marys to Montreal is just two degrees of separation
By Stewart Grant runners. Belanger starred in Vegas, sistent goal scorer for a decade in bert that eliminated the Bruins.
With the exception of twins Daniel and but for the Thunder. Weaver won a Buffalo before being traded in 1981. The members of this year’s Montreal
Henrik Sedin, no two players take ex- championship for Chicago, but it was The Sabres sought to replace Luce’s Canadiens Alumni team have been
actly the same path to the NHL. Each with the Wolves. goal production by bringing in Yvon all over the world playing this great
player has their own distinct history, Though no Montreal Canadien Alum- Lambert from Montreal. game, on teams like the Port Huron
with their hockey career taking them ni ever played for St. Marys, the hock- One of Luce’s longtime Buffalo team- Flags, Cleveland Lumberjacks, San
to unexpected and unique locales. ey world is extremely interconnected mates was Rene Robert. By 1981, Antonio Rampage, Yaroslavl Loko-
Some played in surprising hockey and there are often only two degrees Robert had been moved to Colo- motiv, Jokerit Helsinki, and Frankfurt
markets: Mike Weaver was an Orlan- of separation between a given player rado, playing with ex-Lincoln Jack Lions.
do Solar Bear. Jesse Belanger was and the St. Marys Lincolns. Valiquette and future Lincoln coach By playing here this 2019, St. Marys
a Hamburg Freezer. Pierre Dagenais Patrice Brisebois was a teammate Merlin Malinowski. The head coach joins the long list of places where
was once a Utah Grizzly. of ex-Lincoln Bob Boughner. They of that Rockies team was none other these NHL greats have laced up their
played together on the 2005-06 Col- than Don Cherry, the former Boston skates. From Montreal to St. Marys
Others played in big cities in front of coach who had been fired following
small crowds: Marc Andre Bergeron orado Avalanche. and all points in between, welcome
the 1979 overtime goal of Yvon Lam- to all!
played in Toronto, but for the Road- Lincoln alumni Don Luce was a con-
12 Montreal Canadiens vs. St. Marys Lincolns Alumni Game Program - March 22, 2019 St. Marys Independent Newspaper
www.quadro.net/stmarys • 519.229.8933 • Visit us at 84 Wellington St. S. St. Marys
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Founded in 1924 Renamed in 1994
What do the Canadiens, Lincolns
and Quadro all have in common?
Long histories of serving their communities
Montreal Canadiens founded in 1909 • St. Marys Lincolns founded in 1956
Quadro is proud to support the
St. Marys Lincolns! Enjoy the gameYou can also read
